Apparatus for controlling broadband access and distribution of content and communications through an access point

ABSTRACT

A method of and a system for broadband/infrastructure providers to set, control, operate a coercive/disruptive controller (CDC) to manage and provide broadband content to an end user device. A controller controls broadband content and communication from a broadband network access device to an end user device. The controller utilizes content-specific quality of service (QoS) parameters and operation logic to selectively process broadband content transmitted to the end user devices. The controller operates independently or is dynamically set and controlled by a remotely coupled controller or server. Broadband content is managed and administered according to the QoS parameters, where the QoS parameters are content specific. As such, the QoS parameters are set/reset, assigned/reassigned based on the broadband content, making the QoS related to the broadband content independent of the content provider.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application, Ser.No. 60/652,258, filed Feb. 11, 2005, and entitled “METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING BROADBAND ACCESS AND DISTRIBUTION OF CONTENTAND COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH AN ACCESS POINT,” by the same inventors. Thisapplication incorporates U.S. provisional application, Ser. No.60/652,258 in its entirety by reference. This application is also acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 11/031,498,filed Jan. 6, 2005, and entitled “TELEPHONE WITH AUTOMATIC SWITCHINGBETWEEN CELLULAR AND VOIP NETWORKS”, which is hereby incorporated byreference. U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 11/031,498 claims priorityof U.S. provisional application, Ser. No. 60/534,466, filed Jan. 6,2004, and entitled “RADIOTELEPHONE WITH AUTOMATIC SWITCHING BETWEENCELLULAR AND WI-FI NETWORKS USING WI-FI SIGNAL STRENGTH VALUES”, thecontent of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus forcontrolling broadband access and distribution of content andcommunications through an access point. In particular, the presentinvention relates to a method of and apparatus for controlling thequality of content provided over a broadband infrastructure through anaccess point to a plurality of end user network devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Current broadband transmission occurs from broadband infrastructureproviders to end users via such infrastructure as telephone DSL, TVcable, satellite, etc. Broadband content, such as movies, music, TVshows, web access, etc., that is transmitted over the broadbandtransmission infrastructure is provided by content providers. Somebroadband infrastructure providers determine which content providers canprovide content over their networks. For example, a cable televisionservice provider determines which channels, such as HBO, ESPN, or CNN,are available to their end user customers.

Current state of the art of QoS (Quality of Service) is available forthe broadband transmission infrastructure, that is the physicalinfrastructure from the broadband infrastructure service providerlocation to end user premise located broadband network devices, such asa DSL/cable termination, DSL/cable modem, wireless/wired router, orgeneral access point. The QoS is applied to the physical transmissionmedium, and as such, the quality of all content provided over any givenphysical medium is dependent on the QoS of that given physical medium.All content provided over the given physical medium is subject to thesame QoS.

However, the broadband infrastructure provider has no control over theactual content that is provided by the content providers. The broadbandinfrastructure provider may wish to manage, or even block, certaincontent within the content provided by the content provider, but isunable to modify the content provided. A QoS is not available forbroadband “content”, especially from the end user broadband networkdevice to an end user device such as a computer, TV, or telephone. Inother words, current QoS methodologies enable broadband transmissioninfrastructures with required quality levels, but do not provideselective control of the “content” that is transmitted over these sameinfrastructures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally describes a method of and a system forbroadband/infrastructure providers to set, control, and operate acoercive/disruptive controller (CDC) to manage and provide broadbandcontent to an end user device.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a controller thatcontrols broadband content and communication from an end user broadbandnetwork access device to an end user device. Examples of an end userbroadband network access device include, but are not limited to, a DSLmodem, a cable modem, a DSL termination, a cable termination, a wirelessrouter, or a wired router. In general, the end user broadband networkdevice is an access point to the broadband infrastructure. Examples ofan end user device include, but are not limited to, a computer, anetwork appliance, a television, a telephone, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), or any device capable of receiving broadband content.Communication between the access point and the end user devicepreferably includes a broadband connection, either wired or wireless.Wireless transmissions can be made over public standard based IEEE802.11 a/b/g, Wi-Max, or any other wireless based transmission media.Wired transmissions can be made over local area network (LAN), wide areanetwork (WAN), or any other wired transmission media.

In one embodiment, the controller is integrated within the access pointand utilizes content parameters and operation logic to manage andcontrol broadband content transmitted to the end user devices. Inanother embodiment, the controller is a stand alone device coupled tothe access point within a home or enterprise network. The controllereither operates independently or is dynamically set and controlled by aremotely coupled external controller or server. Using the controller,broadband content and communication for end user devices is seamlessly,dynamically, concurrently, and coercively/disruptively controlled.

The access point and the controller of the present invention preferablyenable broadband/infrastructure providers to dynamically manage andadminister the broadband content provided to the end user devices. Forexample, through the use of a local controller and/or an externallycoupled coercive/disruptive controller, QoS content parameters areset/reset, assigned/reassigned for broadband content provided by anygiven content provider. QoS parameters define, for example, jitter,priority, level of filtering, etc. Broadband content is managed andadministered according to the QoS content parameters, where the QoScontent parameters are content specific, that is based on contentorigination, specific content, and/or specific content characteristics.As such, the QoS content parameters are adjusted based on the broadbandcontent, making the QoS related to the broadband content independent ofthe content quality provided by the content provider. In this manner,the access point provides a content-specific QoS, where the QoS isapplied to the actual content, not to the physical media that deliversthe content.

Additionally, the access point monitors and collects usage statisticsassociated with all content accessed by the end user devices through theaccess point. One or more external control servers collect the usagestatistics from each access point, thereby compiling macro-levelstatistics related to content accessed by end user devices. The one ormore external control servers can be co-located with the networkequipment of the broadband infrastructure provider, or the one or moreexternal control servers can be independent of the broadbandinfrastructure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of one or more end userdevices coupled to an access point of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system implementedaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary methodology for dynamically configuringbroadband content transmitted to end user devices.

The present invention is described relative to the several views of thedrawings. Where appropriate and only where identical elements aredisclosed and shown in more than one drawing, the same reference numeralwill be used to represent such identical elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of one or more end userdevices 100-104 coupled to an access point 120 of the present invention.A broadband content controller 122 is preferably integrated within theaccess point 120. Alternatively, the broadband content controller isimplemented as a stand alone end user network element, wireless orwired, which is configured within a home or enterprise networkassociated with the end user devices. In this alternative embodiment,the broadband content controller is coupled to a conventional end userbroadband network access device to manage the content provided to theend user devices, as will be explained in greater detail below.

The access point 120 also includes a transceiver 128 adapted to transmitsignals to and receive signals from network connections 106, 108, 110,and 132. Each of the network connections 106, 108, 110, and 132 can beeither a wireless connection or a wired connection. As such, thetransceiver 128 is configured for both wired and wireless networkcommunications.

Each of the end user devices can be configured for wireless, wired, orboth wireless and wired communications. Exemplary end user devicesinclude, but are not limited to, computers, televisions, musicplayers/recorders, PDAs, telephones, or any conventional end user devicecapable of receiving broadband content. The end user device can also bea mobile communication device configured to automatically switch anexisting communication from a cellular network to a wireless IP network,or to switch an existing communication from an IP network to a cellularnetwork. Such a mobile communication device is described in co-pendingand co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/031,498, filed Jan. 6,2005, and entitled “TELEPHONE WITH AUTOMATIC SWITCHING BETWEEN CELLULARAND VOIP NETWORKS”, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

As shown in FIG. 1, the end user device 100 is a wireless device coupledto the access point 120 via the wireless connection 106. Similarly, theend user device 102 is a wireless device coupled to the access point 120via the wireless connection 108. The end user device 104 is a wireddevice coupled to the access point 120 via the wired connection 110. Itis understood that the specific types of end user devices 100, 102, and104, and the specific transmission connections 106-110 made between theend user devices 100-104 and the access point 120 described above inrelation to FIG. 1 are for exemplary purposes only.

When the connection between an end user device, such as the end userdevice 104, and the access point 120, is a wired connection, such as thewired connection 110, the end user device 104 preferably functions as anetwork access terminal extension, for example a telephone cradle.

The access point 120 is coupled to a broadband termination block 130 viathe broadband connection 132. The broadband connection 132 can be awired connection or a wireless connection. A wired connection to accesspoint 120 can be configured according to any conventional wiredtransmission protocol including, but not limited to, those used in LANsand WANs. A wireless connection to the access point 120 can beconfigured according to any conventional wireless transmission protocolincluding, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g and Wi-Max.

The broadband termination block 130 is either a physical device or alogical node where broadband content is received from an externalsource, such as a broadband infrastructure provider, and then suppliedto the access point 120. The broadband content includes content data,such as audio content data and/or video content data, as well as contentheader data that provides information related to the accompanyingaudio/video content data. Examples of content header data includecontent origination address, content specific information, videoparameters, audio parameters, and transmission media-specificparameters. The broadband content is provided from the broadbandtermination 130 to the access point 120. As the broadband terminationblock 130 can be considered a logical node, in an alternativeembodiment, the broadband termination block 130 is included within theaccess point 120.

The broadband content controller 122 sets quality of service (QoS)transmission characteristics associated with transmission of thereceived broadband content to the end user devices 100-104. The QoStransmission characteristics can differ or be the same depending onwhether the connection between the access point 120 and the end userdevices 100-104 are wired or wireless. The transmission characteristicsare also determined by the broadband content origination and by thenature of the audio/video content data. A content parameters module 124maintains various content parameter values associated with the QoStransmission characteristics. These content parameter values are sent bythe broadband content controller 122 to the content parameter module124, or stored content parameter values are sent by the contentparameter module 124 to the broadband content controller 122.Preferably, the content parameter values maintained by the contentparameter module 124 are dynamically set by the broadband contentcontroller 122. The content parameter values are used by the controller122 to manage the content provided to the end user device 100-104.Content received by the access point 120 from the broadband terminationblock 130 is monitored for its source. That is, each content isassociated with a specific content provider. A QoS is associated witheach content provider so that content parameter values associated witheach content provider are set according to the QoS of that contentprovider.

In operation, the broadband content controller 122 controls thetransmission of broadband content and communications to the end userdevices 100-104. The controller 122 is preferably integrated within theaccess point 120. Alternatively, the controller 122 is included within astand-alone network device coupled to an end user broadband networkelement, where the stand alone network device and the end user broadbandnetwork element are included within a home or enterprise network. Thecontroller 122 monitors broadband content received from the broadbandtermination block 130 to determine a content source of the broadbandcontent. Using the determined content source, the controller 122retrieves content parameter values from the content parameters module124, where the retrieved content parameter values are associated withthe determined content source. The retrieved content parameter valuesdictate the QoS transmission characteristics to be executed by thecontroller, as applied to the received broadband content. The QoStransmission characteristics can include, but are not limited to, aprocessing rate, a priority level, or a degree of filtering. Where theaccess point 120 receives more than one data stream of broadbandcontent, the priority level indicates which data stream is processedfirst, which is processed second, and so on. The access point 120 canalso include various processors with different processing speeds, wherethe content parameter values can dictate which processor is to be used.The access point 120 can also include one or more filter types, wherethe content parameter values can dictate whether or not the broadbandcontent is filtered for noise, what quality filter is used, or whetheror not the broadband content is blocked entirely.

Using the content parameter values to implement the QoS transmissioncharacteristics for a given content provider, the controller processesthe received broadband content before the content is sent to one or moreof the end user devices 100-104. In this manner, the actual content ismanaged prior to delivery to the end user device.

Preferably, each access point 120 is also configured to collect usagestatistics associated with all content that is accessed by the end userdevices 100-104. The usage statistics represent information related tothe content transmitted to the end user devices 100-104, and as such,the usage statistics represent the content usage patterns of the usersof the end user devices 100-104. The usage statistics are stored in adatabase 126.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system includingmultiple access points 120 and an external control server 242.Preferably, the control server 242 is co-located at a central office ofa broadband infrastructure provider 240. Alternatively, the controlserver 242 is implemented as a stand alone end user network elementcoupled to each of the access points 120. Although the system is shownin FIG. 2 as each access point 120 coupled directly to the controlserver 242, alternative embodiments are contemplated in which an accesspoint is indirectly coupled to the control server via one or moreintermediate access points. The network connections 232 are configuredusing any conventional communications media, either wireless or wired.The network connections 232 can be either the same network connections,such as the network connection 232, used to transmit broadband contentfrom the broadband infrastructure provider 240 to the access points 120,or the network connections 232 can be independent of the networkconnections used to transmit broadband content from the broadbandinfrastructure provider 240 to the access points 120.

In the preferred embodiment, the control server 242 provides controlcommands and instructions to the controller 122 (FIG. 1) within eachaccess point 120. In part, these control commands and instructions set,reset, assign, and reassign the QoS transmission characteristicsassociated with transmission of the broadband content from the accesspoint 120 to the end user devices 100-104 (FIG. 1). The control server242 maintains control of the content parameter values, which dictate theQoS transmission characteristics, stored in the content parametersmodule 124 (FIG. 1) of each access point 120. The access point 120 thenprocesses the broadband content according to the stored contentparameter values, as described above in relation to FIG. 1. The accesspoint 120 administers the control commands and instructions sent fromthe control server 242 by dynamically managing and processing thebroadband content before it is transmitted to the end user devices100-104 (FIG. 1).

The control server 242 also functions as a centralized collection systemthat collects the usage statistics from each of the access points 120 inthe system. The control server 242 maintains a database of the collectedusage statistics that provides compiled usage information for allcontent distributed through the access points 120. Although the controlserver 242 is shown in FIG. 2 as a single server, the control server 242can include more than one server networked together. In this case, thecompiled usage statistics can be maintained in one of the servers, orthe compiled usage statistics can be copied such that two or more of thenetworked servers maintain a copy of the compiled usage statistics.

In operation, the control server 242 preferably manages QoS transmissioncharacteristics of the broadband content provided by the access points120 to any end user device coupled to receive the broadband content. Theaccess points 120 preferably process and then transmit the broadbandcontent according to the QoS transmission characteristics provided bythe control server 242. The control server 242 also collects the usagestatistics stored by each of the access points 120. These usagestatistics are compiled to form macro-level content usage patterns.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary methodology for dynamically configuringbroadband content transmitted to end user devices by an access point. Atthe step 400, broadband content is provided to a broadband provider. Atthe step 410, broadband content parameters are set and maintained withinthe access point. In one embodiment, management and administration ofthe broadband content parameters is controlled by an external controlserver. In another embodiment, a broadband content controller within theaccess point independently sets and defines the broadband contentparameter values. At the step 420, the broadband content is transmittedby the broadband provider to the access point. The access point ispreferably an end user broadband network element, which can alsofunction as a broadband termination point.

At the step 430, the broadband content is dynamically configured withinthe access point, where the broadband content is configured according tothe broadband content parameters. The broadband content parametersdefine content-specific QoS transmission characteristics which are to beapplied on a content by content basis. At the step 440, the configuredbroadband content is transmitted from the access point to one or moreend user devices. The configured broadband content is transmitted to theend user devices over a wired or wireless connection.

At the step 450, each access point collects usage statistics associatedwith the content transmitted through the access point to the end userdevices. At the step 460, an external control server collects andcollates the usage statistics from each of the access points.

The present invention has been described in terms of specificembodiments incorporating details to facilitate the understanding of theprinciples of construction and operation of the invention. As such,references herein to specific embodiments and details thereof are notintended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It will beapparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made tothe embodiments chosen for illustration without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

1. An apparatus to selectively process broadband content transmitted toan end user device, the apparatus comprising: a. a controller to receiveone or more simultaneous content data streams, each content data streamassociated with a specific content provider; and b. a content parametersmodule to store one or more content parameter values associated witheach content provider, wherein each content parameter value defines aquality of service transmission characteristic, wherein the controllerselectively processes a first content data stream according to the oneor more content parameter values corresponding to a first contentprovider, thereby generating a first processed content data stream thatis transmitted to the end user device.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1further comprising a transceiver configured for wireless networkcommunications.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising atransceiver configured for wired network communications.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a wired router or awireless router.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatuscomprises a wired modem or a wireless modem.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless access point.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a Wi-Fi accesspoint.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises abroadband network access point.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thequality of service transmission characteristic defines a level offiltering to be applied to the content data stream.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the quality of service transmission characteristicdefines a level of priority to be applied to the content data stream.11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the quality of service transmissioncharacteristic defines a processing rate to be applied to the contentdata stream.
 12. A system to selectively process broadband contenttransmitted to an end user device, the system comprising: a. one or morenetwork access points, each network access point receives one or moresimultaneous content data streams from a broadband infrastructureprovider, each content data stream associated with a specific contentprovider, wherein each network access point is coupled to one or moreend user devices; and b. a control server remotely coupled to the one ormore network access points to provide control commands to the one ormore network access points, wherein the control commands define one ormore content parameter values associated with each content provider,each content parameter value defines a quality of service transmissioncharacteristic, wherein each network access point selectively processesa first content data stream according to the one or more contentparameter values corresponding to a first content provider, therebygenerating a first processed content data stream that is transmitted tothe one or more end user devices.
 13. The system of claim 12 wherein oneof the one or more end user devices comprises one of a computer, atelevision, a telephone, a personal digital assistant, and musicplayers/recorders.
 14. The system of claim 12 wherein a first end userdevice is coupled to a first network access point by a wirelessconnection.
 15. The system of claim 12 wherein a first end user deviceis coupled to a first network access point by a wired connection. 16.The system of claim 12 further comprising a broadband termination pointcoupled to a first network access point for receiving the first contentdata stream from the broadband infrastructure provider and providing thefirst content data stream to the network access point.
 17. The system ofclaim 16 wherein the network access point and the broadband terminationpoint are included within an integrated device.
 18. The system of claim16 wherein the network access point is coupled to the broadbandtermination point by a wireless connection.
 19. The system of claim 16wherein the network access point is coupled to the broadband terminationpoint by a wired connection.
 20. The system of claim 12 wherein a firstnetwork access point comprises a wired router or a wireless router. 21.The system of claim 12 wherein a first network access point comprises awired modem or a wireless modem.
 22. The system of claim 12 wherein afirst network access point comprises a wireless access point.
 23. Thesystem of claim 12 wherein each network access point further comprises acontent parameters module to store the one or more content parametervalues associated with each content provider.
 24. The system of claim 12wherein each network access point further comprises a controller toselectively process each content data stream according to the associatedcontent parameter values.
 25. A method of selectively processingbroadband content transmitted to an end user device, the methodcomprising: a. providing one or more content data streams to a networkaccess point, each content data stream associated with a specificcontent provider; b. determining a first content provider associatedwith a first content data stream; c. retrieving one or more contentparameter values for the first content data stream based on thedetermined first content provider, each content parameter value definesa quality of service transmission characteristic; d. selectivelyprocessing the first data stream according to the one or more contentparameter values, thereby generating a first processed content datastream; and e. transmitting the first processed data stream to one ormore end user devices coupled to the network access point.
 26. Themethod of claim 25 wherein the quality of service transmissioncharacteristic defines a level of filtering to be applied to the contentdata stream and selectively processing the first data stream comprisesfiltering the first data stream according to the defined level offiltering.
 27. The method of claim 25 wherein the quality of servicetransmission characteristic defines a level of priority to be applied tothe content data stream and selectively processing the first data streamcomprises processing the first data stream in the priority defined bythe level of priority.
 28. The method of claim 25 wherein the quality ofservice transmission characteristic defines a processing rate to beapplied to the content data stream and selectively processing the firstdata stream comprises applying the defined processing rate.